Aegon's Conquest
Aegon's Conquest, also called the Conquest was the campaign in which Aegon I Targaryen conquered most of Westeros. Supported by his sisters—Visenya and Rhaenys—their dragons, and a small army, Aegon subdued six of the Seven Kingdoms, successfully resisted only by Dorne. Not all the continent had to be taken by conquest, as some regions and houses actively supported House Targaryen and others submitted voluntarily. Aegon's Landing The war began in 2 BC when Aegon Targaryen and his two sister-wives Rhaenys and Visenya landed with fewer than 1,600 men at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush next to three hills. Upon the highest hill, Aegon started construction of the Aegonfort, a wooden motte and bailey fort as his first claim to the mainland of Westeros. The Targaryens were supported by Houses Celtigar, Massey, and Velaryon. The Burning of Harrenhal Aegon marched northwest to the Gods Eye and Harrenhal, but he was attacked by House Hoare twice on the south shore of the Gods Eye. The Battle of the Reeds was a Targaryen victory, but they suffered heavy losses at the Wailing Willows when two of King Harren the Black's sons crossed the lake in longboats with muffled oars and fell upon their rear. Balerion fell upon the victors as they were crossing back across the lake, burning Harren's longboats and sons as well.2 Harren summoned the river lords to defend Harrenhal, but they rose against the Hoares under the leadership of Lord Edmyn Tully of Riverrun. One by one the river lords joined their strength to Aegon, with Edmyn being the first to do so. Suddenly outnumbered, King Harren the Black took refuge in his supposedly impregnable stronghold. Aegon met Harren at the gates, under a peace banner to parley, but he wouldn't do it. Descending from the sky atop Balerion, Aegon used dragonflame against the great castle, and Harren and his sons died in the burning of Harrenhal. The next day Aegon accepted an oath of fealty from Edmyn Tully, and named him Lord Paramount of the Trident. The other river lords did homage as well, to Aegon as king and Edmyn as liege lord of the riverlands. Conquering of the Stormlands While Aegon dealt with Harrenhal, the greater part of his host crossed the Blackwater Rush heading south for Storm's End under the command of Orys Baratheon, with Queen Rhaenys Targaryen accompanying him astride Meraxes. Lords Errol, Fell and Buckler, bannermen of Argilac the Arrogant, surprised the advance elements of Orys' host as they were crossing the Wendwater, cutting down more then a thousand men before retreating back into the trees. Rhaenys unleashed Meraxes and set the forest ablaze, killing Lord Errol. Word of King Harren's end having reached Storm's End, Argilac rode north to meet his foes in the field. After being advised through Rhaenys's reconnaissance, Orys fortified a strong position on the hills south of Bronzegate and waited for Argilac's stormlanders. In what became known as the Last Storm, Argilac attacked the Baratheon and Targaryen forces during a howling gale. The Storm King and his knights broke through Orys' center during their third charge, but they then faced Queen Rhaenys. Meraxes's dragonflame killed the personal guard of Argilac, who was thrown from the saddle. Orys offered him to yield, but Argilac cursed him instead. After Orys slew the wounded Storm King in single combat, the stormlanders threw down their swords and fled. Argilac's daughter, Argella Durrandon, barred the gates of Storm's End and declared herself Storm Queen. The castle's soldiers, however, eventually delivered her to Orys' camp. Orys took Argella as his wife and chose the words and sigil of House Durrandon for the new House Baratheon. Aegon named Orys the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and made him Lord of Storm's End. Conquering of the Westerlands and the Reach Meanwhile, the two great western kings made common cause and assembled their own armies. From Highgarden marched Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach, with a mighty host from the Reach. Beneath the walls of Goldengrove he met Loren Lannister, King of the Rock, leading his own host from the westerlands. Together they commanded the mightiest host ever seen in Westeros: an army fifty five thousand strong, including over five thousand knights. Advised of their coming in his camp beside the Gods Eye, Aegon gathered his own forces and advanced to meet them. He commanded only one fifth the men and was able to more quickly move his host. The two armies came together amongst the wide open plains south of the Blackwater Rush. House Gardener commanded the center of the allied army, with House Lannister the right and House Oakheart the left. The charge of their knights began to break the Targaryen army, but Aegon and his sisters attacked from the air with their dragons. Over five thousand died in this Field of Fire, while tens of thousands were wounded. Mern and his kin were all mortally wounded from the battle, ending House Gardener. Loren managed to escape, but he and the Lannister bannermen yielded to Aegon after being captured the following day. Loren was named Aegon's Warden of the West. Aegon marched at once for Highgarden, hoping to secure its surrender. He found the castle in the hands of its steward, Harlen Tyrell, who yielded the castle without a fight and pledged his support to Aegon. In reward Harlen was granted Highgarden and named Warden of the South and Lord Paramount of the Mander. Submission of the North Aegon's next planned to secure Oldtown, the Arbor, and Dorne, but while at Highgarden he learned that Torrhen Stark, King in the North, had crossed the Neck with an army of northmen some thirty thousand strong. In response, Aegon and his queens gathered the lords and knights who had already yielded to House Targaryen. When Torrhen's northmen reached the Trident, they found a Targaryen host half again their size south of the river, including men from the Reach, Riverlands, Stormlands, and Westerlands. Some northern lords wanted to attack, while others wanted to fortify Moat Cailin. Brandon Snow offered to assassinate the sleeping Targaryen dragons. With Harrenhal and the Field of Fire in mind, however, Torrhen instead sent Brandon with maesters to negotiate a peace. The following day Torrhen crossed the Trident and yielded to Aegon, becoming Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Torrhen has subsequently been known as the King Who Knelt. Submission of the Vale In response to the Targaryen successes, Sharra Arryn, Queen Regent of the Vale, strengthened the defenses at Gulltown, moved a host to the Bloody Gate, and tripled the garrisons at the way-castles which guard the Eyrie. Sharra made Aegon an offer of marriage and alliance if he named as his heir her son, Ronnel Arryn, the young King of Mountain and Vale, but was refused. Despite Aegon's refusal, House Arryn felt secure in the Vale. Visenya Targaryen, however, flew Vhagar to the Eyrie's inner courtyard, and Sharra found sitting on the knee of Aegon's queen her son Ronnel, who asked to fly on the dragon. After flying three times on Vhagar, Ronnel became Lord of the Eyrie and Aegon's Warden of the East. Invasion of Dorne Rather than confront the Dornish spearmen guarding the Prince's Pass in the Red Mountains, Rhaenys Targaryen flew above the pass on Meraxes to Vaith and Godsgrace, but found the castles abandoned. When Rhaenys reached Planky Town, she found only women and children. At Sunspear, seat of House Martell, she found Meria Martell, the aged Princess of Dorne, waiting in her abandoned castle. Lady Meria told Rhanys that Dorne has no king and that they would never submit to Targaryen rule, thus Dorne remained unconquered.